Goat lice: Identification, treatment and prevention 

How Goats Get Lice

• Direct contact with infested goats (even through fences).
• Shared grooming tools, collars, coats, or bedding.
• New goats coming onto the property without proper quarantine and checks.
• Occasionally they can come in on hay and straw bales.

 

 

Signs of Lice Infestation

• Excessive scratching, rubbing, or biting at their coat. This can be difficult to tell since one of goats favourite pastimes is scratching!
• Patchy hair loss.
• Dandruff-like flakes (which could be lice eggs, dead lice, or skin irritation).
• In severe cases: weight loss, reduced milk production, restlessness, and skin infections.

 

 

Preventing Lice in Goats

• Regular grooming to spot early signs.
• Use a natural louse powder like Barriers Louse Powder as a preventative, especially in bedding areas.
• Avoid sharing grooming tools between animals.
• Quarantine new goats for at least 3 weeks and check for lice before introducing them to the herd.
• Regularly clean out bedding and disinfect housing, particularly if lice have been present before.

Treatment Options

 

1. Topical Spot-On Treatments

• Applied along the backline and around the neck/shoulders.
• Repeat after 14 days to break the life cycle.
• Works best for biting lice but less reliable for sucking lice.

 

2. Louse Powders

• Best used to treat bedding and housing and as a preventative.
• Can be applied directly to goats’ coats too for active infestation, especially around neck, shoulders, and base of tail.
• Repeat every few days until clear.
• Can often be used alongside a spot on.

 

3. Injectable Treatments

• Injected medication can be used under veterinary advice.

• Particularly effective against sucking lice.

• Usually given two doses, 10-14 days apart.

 

Environmental Treatment

• Deep clean housing and remove all bedding.
• Spray or powder housing with a livestock-safe insecticide.
• Wash or disinfect grooming tools, collars, coats — anything the goats have had contact with.
• Check neighbouring animals (goats in neighbouring paddocks could be a hidden source).
• In extreme cases it’s worth considering a ‘scorched earth’ approach. You’ll need to move your goats into a new house and rotate the land they’re on.

 

 

When to Call the Vet -

 

• If lice persist after two full rounds of treatment.
• If goats are showing signs of skin infection (sores, scabs, secondary bacterial infection).
• If any goat is losing weight, appearing weak, or showing signs of anaemia (pale gums/eyelids).

 

 

Key Takeaway -

 

Lice thrive in neglected coats, overcrowded housing, and damp bedding. Prevention is always easier than treatment — regular grooming and good hygiene go a long way. If an outbreak happens, act fast and treat ALL goats, even if only one looks affected.

Goat mites: identification, treatment and prevention 

 

Mites are another common external parasite affecting goats, and they can be even trickier to deal with than lice. They are microscopic, meaning you won’t usually see them crawling around — but the damage they cause can be obvious. Mites burrow into the skin or live just beneath the surface, causing intense itching, scabbing, and hair loss.

 

 

Types of Mites Affecting Goats

 

1. Leg and Udder Mites

• These are surface mites, meaning they live on the skin, not under it.
• Most often found on lower legs but can spread to the udder, scrotum, tail, and belly.
• Cause itching, scabs, thickened skin, and crusty patches.
• They are highly contagious, spreading easily between goats.

 

2. Ear Mites

• These live in the ear canal.
• Causes head shaking, ear scratching, dark wax build-up, and sometimes a bad smell.
• If left untreated, ear mites can cause pain, head tilt, and infection.

 

3. Mange Mites

• Burrow deep into the skin (this is the same family that causes scabies in humans).
• Cause severe itching, scaly skin, crusting, and hair loss.
• Prefer areas with thin skin, like the face, ears, and under the front legs, but can spread all over in bad cases.
• Mange is less common in goats, but it can happen and it’s very unpleasant for the goat.

How Goats Get Mites

• Direct contact with an infested goat.
• Shared bedding, grooming tools, or feed troughs.
• Mites can survive in bedding for short periods, especially in damp or dirty housing.

 

 

Signs of Mite Infestation

• Intense itching and scratching.
• Crusty skin — especially on legs, ears, face, or udder/scrotum.
• Hair loss in patches.
• Scabs or thickened skin.
• Head shaking.
• Reluctance to have legs or ears touched.

 

 

Preventing Mites in Goats

• Regular grooming and handling — catch signs early.
• Quarantine all new goats for at least 3 weeks and check for skin issues.
• Keep bedding clean and dry.
• Avoid sharing grooming brushes, collars, or coats between goats.
• Consider using a louse powder on bedding, which also helps against surface mites. Diatomaceous earth would do this too.

 

Treatment Options

 

1. Topical Treatments

• Spot ons are sometimes used for mites, but they are less effective for deep-burrowing species.
• Works best for surface mites.

 

2. Injectable Treatments

• Injected medication can be used under veterinary advice.
• Usually given two doses 14 days apart.

 

 

Environmental Treatment -

 

• Clean out all bedding, disinfect housing, and treat any wooden surfaces where mites might hide.
• Spray or powder housing with a livestock-safe mite spray.
• If mites keep returning, check for untreated goats nearby (including sheep).
• In extreme cases operate a ‘scorched earth’ policy.

 

 

When to Call the Vet -

 

• If skin becomes open, infected, or weeping.
• If goats show signs of pain, weight loss, or stress.
• If mites persist after two rounds of treatment.

 

 

Key Takeaway -

 

Mites are sneaky — by the time you see symptoms, they've often been present for weeks. Prevention, regular grooming, and quick treatment are the best defence. Left unchecked, mites can cause skin infections, weight loss, and misery for your goats.

Internal parasites: Identification, treatment and prevention 

 

Internal parasites (worms) are a common health challenge for goats, particularly in the UK where damp conditions can create the perfect environment for parasite eggs and larvae to thrive on pasture. While all goats carry some internal parasites, a heavy burden can cause serious illness or even death, especially in young, old, or otherwise vulnerable goats.

 

Types of Internal Parasites

 

The main internal parasites affecting goats include:

• Barber Pole Worm: This is one of the most dangerous worms, as it feeds directly on blood in the stomach lining, causing severe anaemia, weakness, and death if left untreated. It is most common in warm, damp weather.
• Strongyle worm: A threadworm that can infect the small intestines of goats. It's usually not a serious problem, but it can cause disease in young goats. 
• Brown Stomach Worm : This worm damages the stomach lining, interfering with digestion and causing weight loss and diarrhoea.
• Lungworm: These worms live in the lungs and can cause coughing, difficulty breathing, and poor overall condition.
• Tapeworm: Visible segments may be seen in droppings, but tapeworms are not usually considered highly harmful to adult goats. However, they can affect growth in kids with a heavy burden.
• Liver Fluke: This parasite thrives in wet, marshy grazing areas and can cause severe liver damage. Fluke is more common in sheep but can also affect goats, especially if they graze near water.

 

 

Signs of Internal Parasites

 

The symptoms of internal parasites vary depending on the type and burden, but common signs include:

• Weight loss or failure to thrive despite good diet
• Diarrhoea
• Poor coat condition, sometimes hair loss.
• Bottle jaw, swelling under the jaw caused by fluid accumulation.
• Pale gums and eyelids
• Coughing and respiratory issues

 

Diagnosis – FEC Testing (Faecal Egg Counts)

 

Routine worming is no longer recommended for goats. Overuse of wormers has led to drug resistance in many internal parasites, meaning some treatments are no longer effective.

 

Instead, goat keepers should work with their vet to conduct regular faecal egg counts (FEC), these can also be done through a postal service. FEC testing involves sending a fresh poop sample to a lab, where they check for the type and number of parasite eggs present. This helps determine whether treatment is necessary and, crucially, which wormer will be most effective. FECs are particularly important for goats because they do not develop strong immunity to parasites like sheep do. This means that adult goats can still carry and shed significant worm burdens if not managed carefully.

 

 

Treatment and Wormer Options -

 

If FEC results show a high parasite burden, your vet will advise on the best wormer and dose to use. This must always be confirmed by your vet to avoid under-dosing or toxicity.

 

 

Prevention and Management

• Rotational Grazing: Moving goats onto fresh pasture helps reduce their exposure to infective larvae. If possible, rest grazing areas for several months.
• Mixed Grazing: Grazing goats with species like cattle or horses can help reduce parasite levels, as different species host different parasites.
• Keep numbers down: Overcrowded grazing areas quickly become heavily contaminated.
• Regular FECs: Even if goats appear healthy, regular testing (every 3 months) helps catch rising worm burdens before they cause problems.
• Quarantine New Goats: Any new goats should be FEC tested and treated if needed before joining your herd.
• Good Nutrition: Healthy, well-fed goats are more resilient to parasite burdens.

 

 

Liver Fluke Specific Note -

 

If your goats have access to wet, boggy ground, it’s essential to be aware of liver fluke risk. Fluke requires a specific mud snail to complete its life cycle, so drainage and avoiding access to wet areas can significantly reduce risk. FEC testing for fluke isn’t always reliable, so blood testing or fluke-specific tests may be needed in high-risk areas. Speak to your vet if you have boggy areas on your land.

 

 

Final Tip -

 

Never worm ‘just in case’ – always test first. Not only does this protect against resistance, but it also prevents unnecessary disruption to the goat’s gut flora. Management, based on evidence rather than routine treatment, is the key to keeping goats healthy.

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